ATHLETICS NEWS - Caster Semenya continued her dominance of women’s middle-distance running with a consummate victory over the 800 metres in Thursday’s IAAF Diamond League meeting in Oslo, Norway.
South Africa’s double Olympic, World and Commonwealth Games champion was once again in complete control as she cruised to victory in 1min 57min 25sec.
It wasn’t a world-lead or meeting record time but the sponsor’s logo emblazoned on Semenya’s white vest said it all: EXTRA.
The South African was content to sit just off the pace for the first lap and then slowly power away from the field. Even though archival Francine Niyonsaba pretty much drew level around the final bend the Burundian was blown away by Semenya’s extra strength down the main straight.
Semenya is still the world’s quickest two-lapper of the year after her 1:55.92 last month. The meeting record belongs to fellow African Pamela Jelimo of Kenya who ran 1:55.41 almost exactly 10 years ago.
Second on Thursday was Niyonsaba in 1:58.57 with Ethiopia’s Habitat Alemu in 1:58.58.
The only other South Africa in action was sprinter Carina Horn.
